Getting Started

When we all met up at the venue, we discussed what our collaboration would be like. I had suggested that this have a circus feel, allowing for crazy, whimsical subjects. We connected with a sunburst background and a story. There were 3 wood panels side by side, and I started on the furthest left side. The character I wanted to illustrate is a sort of Magical Magician with a top hat, allowing for all this mustache craziness, commemorating Mustache Movember.

Finishing the Other Side

I was jumping around while things were drying on one end, to the other end. Here, my contribution was the hand with the mustache growing from it.

Finishing Mustached Magician

A few more things are being added such as the stars. When I felt like there was nothing else I could do, others were invited to add on to it if they wanted.

Finished Piece

After a long night of painting, we all sat down together for a group photo with our finished piece behind us.

Step 1: Background

Getting that radial gradient down! the background is usually a "race against time" and an upper body workout. With acrylic paint, you can't work with it if it's dry so, when blending and creating a gradient, you need the paint to stay wet. Sometimes, I will use a paint retarder but sometimes I just stick with a good amount of paint and water. Don't use too much water or then, you'll have to wait longer for it to dry and possibly use more layers. It usually takes me 2-3 layers of the same thing to make it solid (when it comes to the background).

Step 2: reference, hands

The white has been set down for the color of the hands. that means that I had to paint the shape of where the hands are going, white. the white is used to refer back to canvas so we can build solid colors, on top.

Step 3: darks on hands

Your darks should be looked at as abstract shapes. In order to get things in the right place you have to look at the shading not only as shading on an object but, as an object all in itself. I'm trying to get the main areas where those darks are.

Step 4: hands, color and shading

After laying down dark colors, I wanted to smooth things out (blend) and then let that dry to complete this phase of thinking. A lot of the time, I will paint a layer and that layer or that color is a single thought.

Step 5: Color and shading

On this hand, after the darkest parts have been painted, I went back and created gradients with lighter colors. There's a lot of "back and forth" in the painting process (with acrylics).

Step 7: Shading and details

I'm going by color. the darker I get, the closer to final details I get. After the darks get figured out, it's easier to see where your finishing highlights will go.

Step 8: the sconce

I didn't have any reference for the sconce. This was a situation to where you know where the light is coming from and depending on the shape of the object, you use what you know as to how it will be shaded and highlighted.

Step 10: finished hands

After the flame on the candle has been done, we can call the hands done (for now). I'll add that the way to achieve a glow for the flame is use of a gradient using only white paint.

Step 11: reference(s)

A lot of the time, things will never be perfect. In order to get the zombie female exactly how I wanted in my head, I needed to look at 3 images for reference all at the same time to create what I visioned. I had to take some shots of my friend, a shot of my hand against the wall, and a shot of another woman, in costume.

Step 12: the zombie

At this point, the white has been set for the image. I've gone ahead and started preparing for where the darker, shaded parts will go.

Step 13: creating the zombie

So, quite a bit has been done. The main thing to walk away with is that I had to refer back to canvas which is why I had to paint a white layer underneath her. White was also used as the finishing touches for this session.

Step 14: finishing touches

It's the drips under the circular frame that wrapped this up for me (for the time being).

Step 1: Background, part 1

The general color of the gradient fade of the logs are used. Here, there are 3 layers of this strategy applied to get a good, solid layer. The object is to get rid of loose, painterly brush strokes.

Step 2: Background, part 2

This section can easily be compared to mapping and drawing. I'm actually eyeballing even space. A very precise way of doing this would be to measure the space evenly. I did use a ruler to give me straight lines.

Step 3: Background, part 3

The lighter colors, the highlights, help give a relief. Relief is used in this way to mean, height or suspension. It is a term mostly used in sculpting. Different thicknesses and transparencies are used to create this look.

Step 5: White

So, now we are reverting back to canvas, creating a "new" canvas. Anytime white is applied, it's considered reverting back to canvas. This is another time as well where drawing comes into play. It takes a good, keen eye to capture form and shape. The type of brush you use also plays a role in the shape of the strokes. I usually like to use square tips for filling in and round for everything else, like drawing.